PT The Prequels Strike Back: A Star Wars Documentary

Chris Simpson seems very biased. From a quick Google search (I had no idea who he was), it seems he makes a lot of appearances hawking autographs for his walk on role in Phantom Menace. So I get why he wants to be positive about the movie. But saying you have to like all the Star Wars and comparing it to a religion is really out there. Comparing choosing the light or dark side (basically good or evil) to liking or not liking the prequels is a weak baiting idea at best. So is suggesting they go to Star Trek. Doesn't sound so different from an ignorant fly-over state hillbilly on politics.

Did you know that Mark Hamill was approached to take part in the People vs George Lucas? He was "advised" by Lucasfilm that it would not be very beneficial to him to do so. Like what happened to Dave Prowse.

 

And it's not as if religious people don't pick and choose at times regarding their faith so just that analogy alone is absurd. This guy has no credit in my opinion. None.

 

For those who are worried about this documentary being a rant against the PT haters or dislikers, I have Bradley Weatherholt on my facebook friend list after I've communicated to him about the funding campaign and he replied with the quotes below to the people who are worried about this documentary being "a declaration of war" against other fans, especially Morgan Cherney who has made the youtube video "Star Wars - Is a war on the horizon?":

 

"But Christian points out that those who follow other religions mostly do not pick and choose what aspects of that religion’s creator’s points to love and hate."

mostly=not all

 

It seems from what I hear this documentary will be a lovefest of the PT(nothing wrong with that) instead of addressing and fighting back against the criticism. If that is the case I can't help but be disappointed as there is currently no defense of the PT(in video format at least) that exists on the net. As bad as this sounds I'm tired of the PT always having to either take the high road or admit defeat.

 

Here's something else to chew on as well.

For many years after the Prequels, the PT Haters, for the most part, had the podium to themselves. The hate was so loud, and so mainstream that the people that loved the PT were almost shamed into hiding (to some degree) finding shelter in groups, or simply living their love for the PT silently and alone . Almost like the exiled Jedi post Order 66...

However, in the last few years we have seen an upsurge in those that are willing to stand up for the PT.

What has led to this upsurge? Well, I think the big contributor is time, and time for many reasons. Obviously as time goes on people are able to get over their initial problems with the PT and find the good things in the movies.

However, what I think is biggest impact of time is that the younger generations that grew up with the Prequels, those kids that were around 5 to 10 years old, are now in their early 20's. They are now able to communicate their feelings about the prequels in a much more coherent and respectable way then even 5 years ago. They are now becoming a part of a larger vocal community that loves the Prequels. They are now joining the ranks of the 30 and 40 somethings that for years hid in communities that had to be segregated from other Star Wars boards and policed heavily to keep the PT Haters out (this boards is a perfect example). So now the pro-prequel crowd is growing (online). We are getting a bigger voice, and now that we have a voice, and are willing to use it, now those PT Haters are feeling threatened to some degree that their voice is becoming more a minority. They aren't getting the numerous likes, or positive replies when they wave the flag of Jar Jar Sucks on facebook, youtube, or other social media. Now their mundane trolling is being countered.

This "war" will not go away!

I for one do not like the idea of giving the stage back to the haters by us PT Defenders, SAGA lovers taking a higher road and pretending that somehow things will be better if we lower our voices. We need warriors to help fight the trolls that are still out there (but not by being trolls ourselves mind you)...

Or do we grow old, wishing that we had done more to counter those trolls and stand up for the movies that we love, that have influenced our lives, and influenced our kids lives...

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

I don't know, mikeximus.

You have me a little confused. You make good points!

I don't want this documentary to have a smarmy, incredulous tone. I think adopting such a tone would be unprofessional and unwise.

On the other hand, what you say is correct. Prequel fans have been run off other places and had to bury their feelings. A very unseemly majority voice took hold and marginalized anyone who went against it.

As you also indicate, this place became a home for PT fans, if at all, only through strict moderation. It would almost certainly have been overrun with bashing, otherwise, appearing little different to other places on the web where these movies are discussed (or snidely eviscerated).

There has definitely been a crass, uncouth movement against these films and their loyal fans. And it has endured for many years, to the point where even George Lucas himself has commented on the vitriol.

I do think that anger and hatred call upon people to be more creative, however. It is one thing to let negativity and denigration go unchallenged; it is another to adopt a reverse sneering tone. Maybe there is a place for it, but not in this documentary, in my opinion.

I'm just pleased to see the prequels gaining a bit more acceptance of late. Fans are finding their own voice and finally mounting impassioned defences. They no longer feel the need to hide and censor themselves as they once did. Excellent.

I have always enjoyed the prequels being a bit "fringe", though. Makes 'em that bit more special. What's sad is how the bashing turned into a cottage industry. These people could have spent time rallying against things that truly matter and building media profiles and making money in a more honourable fashion. Instead, they chose to build their intellectual edifices on callow detraction and insipid, plastic ranting.

Not only has that pushed prequel acceptance back, but it has arguably retarded the modern film industry (and certainly fan communities) with these people's hollow emphasis on subjective "standards". When a film as vacuous and trashy as J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reaches 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and gets an 8.0 on IMDb, while the prequels cap out at 80% and 7.7 respectively with ROTS, you know there's something wrong with the world. IMO, anyway.

These movies, and their fans, deserve their time in the sun. That has never really come. Perhaps, soon, that will finally change.

 

Oh no, i don't think the documentary is the place for that either. As I said, metaphorically, that we need our warriors that are willing to fight the trolls, but, also b not becoming trolls ourselves. So I don't want this documentary (as if I had any say in the matter) to be a hate fest either. But.... I wouldn't mind if they had a dig here or there at, lets say a Simon Peg type.

However.... There is a time and place for everything, and sometimes there is a need to get down and dirty, to fight a troll on his level... We need those type as well

Which is why I really don't want to give the stage back to them. Move forward, not backwards imho...

I do agree with you to a certain point, but, sometimes you have to bring a knife to a knife fight, or you aren't giving yourself any kind of chance.

 

I agree with everything here. One thing I do know is that PT fans (or just Saga fans) will never shame those who liked the ST once the trilogy is over, regardless of how we felt about it, since we learned to be better than the OT fans. I hope.

 

Or you have to be an accident-prone Gungan with a black belt in Force kinematics.

 

Sure do!

 

While overtime it certainly has become a lot easier for PT fans to express their love for the films and not be afraid to speak their mind. Sadly though it's still commonplace to find outside these boards plenty of PT haters. Even those that defend the PT sometimes run with "They are good but not good as the OT". I for one am sick of seeing that. I would like to see a PT fan to have balls to address the criticisms in a very strong but respectful way. I was hoping this documentary was going to be it but its not looking that way so far but I haven't seen it yet so I am taking the wait and see approach before final judgment.

I think the real question is should the PT fans always been the one to take the high road? Or should we fight fire with fire? I honestly wish for the latter. It would be nice if this documentary really had the balls to attack RLM and Pegg in a very blunt matter. I think it would speak for a lot of prequel fans that have been inching for a strong counter to the negativity. I am actually thinking of doing this defense video myself.

Whatever happens though I will always love all 6 films and hopefully this new trilogy as well.

 

A tiny part of me who love that, but I don't think attacking anyone would be wise.

They're going to mention and address RLM, maybe on Pegg since he has been in the headlines lately. Though again, I don't think they're going to "attack" them.

 

And what is wrong with that opinion? If people like both but prefer the OT so be it. People who like both but prefer the PT allowed only?

 

Nah. Prisic is completely on-target with that remark, in my opinion.

I believe they also qualified -- if you have the intellectual apparatus to read correctly -- that they, for one, are tired of people expressing that sentiment. Meaning, they explicated a personal objection, rather than saying such is unreservedly bad. Your inquiry is surplus to requirements.

I'm with them because I, too, am pretty tired of that particular defence, which frequently reads, in my view, as servile and cowardly. Imagine a gay person saying, "Well, there's nothing wrong with being gay, but I'll admit that being straight is better."

I'm through with the spineless defences of these films. And my patience with bashers is pretty low. Read between the lines. It used to be seen as unthinkable to say you preferred the PT or characters like Jar Jar. I say it's time for a new paradigm.

 

Precisely. There is no concise, straightforward defense of the prequels online, which is ridiculous given the amount of people who allegedly like them. There is always a hint of pandering to the OT, which is fine, but we've all heard about how exemplary and perfect the OT is from the thousands of other articles and reviews concerning Star Wars.

 

Oh please give it a rest with the false 'everyone sees OT as flawless' routine it is blatantly misleading.

 

Well certainly attacking them will only do more harm than good but a strong but respectful teardown of their criticisms would be nice to see. And apart of me wants to see if the critics can take it as well as they dish it out. I just hope whatever direction this documentary takes that at least RLM is addressed and I hope its not the usual "The PT is good but not as good as the OT".

 

From what I've seen, everyone DOES see the OT as flawless such as Plinkett and his millions of fans, but even so, I stated thousands, which is quite limited when one considers the vast abyss that is the Internet, so I wasn't misleading anyone or implying that "everyone" (even if it's true), loves the OT too much to criticize it.

 

ROTJ and the Ewoks? The 2nd DS? The stormtroopers in general? The SE changes? Or even the original stuff before the changes, the Han and Leia romance, Luke reacting to Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's deaths? Leia's non reaction to Alderaan's destruction? Luke's Force kick? Han not paying Jabba by ESB, the first half of ROTJ, Puppet Yoda, Luke and Leia kiss, and so on and so forth.

 

Funny how absent these complaints are when people are actually discussing the OT...

 

Nah, just forget about it and accept the status-quo. The internet has taught us that it's easier to compartmentalize the OT as a perfect storm of filmmaking and the PT as complete and utter failures.

 

Which is funny because I never had a problem with any of that.

 

I've seen them in a lot of the OT threads on here. Most of them are the topics of said threads.

mikeximus I don't have problems with the list either (for the most part anyway). Just listing the common complaints I've heard on here.

 

Oh, I know, it's just funny how people are different, see different things, get caught up on different stuff.

The one that always stuck out to me that I always cringe at is the exchange between Leia and Han in the Ewok village after Luke leaves. The acting there.... plus the "hold me". I have seen that scene rarely brought up though, however it's funny how people make fun of the Padme scene where she asks Anakin to hold her like the time by the lake...